Rwanda Wants to Quit Great Lakes Bloc for Inaction on ‘Genocide Fugitives’

Paul Kagame

Rwanda is considering withdrawing from the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), questioning the body’s role and impact in the prevention of insecurity in the region.

According to Rwanda, ICGLR has not taken an active role in addressing the issue of genocide fugitives and negative forces in the region, despite having a security pact that obliges member states to take action.

ICGLR is made up of 12 countries: Rwanda, Burundi, Congo-Brazzaville, DR Congo, Central African Republic, Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Angola.

In a Twitter post, Kigali’s state minister for foreign affairs Olivier Nduhungirehe said the bloc has had no major impact since its founding 12 years ago.

The ICGLR has its headquarters in Bujumbura, Burundi, a country that has had frosty relations with Rwanda since 2015 following President Pierre Nkurunziza’s controversial reelection.

Kigali accuses the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda rebels, forces it blames for the 1994 genocide, of having bases in the DRC and Burundi.

Under Paul Kagame, Rwanda has launched numerous incursions into DR Congo to pursue the FDLR, also known as the Interahamwe.